


eridanus

by xiuminsglasses



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mentioned Sehun/Junmyeon, Pianist Byun Baekhyun, Slice of Life, Supportive Kyungsoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 23:07:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12220830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiuminsglasses/pseuds/xiuminsglasses
Summary: In which Baekhyun finds his way home.





	eridanus

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: The beginning of this fic briefly talks about the death of a dog (I'm sorry bbh). It is _not_ graphic and the dog is already dead.

The sky is starting to look like sorbet. Oranges and pinks brushed across the sky, claiming the horizon that once belonged to the beautiful dark expanse. The silhouettes of birds flutter along the atmosphere and a slight breeze rustles the leaves, sending a chill down Baekhyun’s spine. He kicks his legs as they hang off the side of the dock, taking a deep breath of the fresh air coming off the water.

It feels good to be home for the first time in 4 years. He’s missed this feeling, these sensations. The smell of the bakery just down the street, the sweet pastries from his childhood filling his nose with nostalgia. Dogs run across the sandy beach, barking at each other. He’s sure some of these dogs were just pups when he was last here. A terrier tackles a little black dog to the sand and Baekhyun laughs. He remembers his friends having dogs like those, running across the sand and tumbling around the ground. They’d fight over a frisbee, the three of them. _Three_. Baekhyun’s smile drops and he rubs his eyes, tearing his stare away from the dogs.

There’s a fresh pile of dirt in the park down the street from where Baekhyun grew up, a little bunch of flowers on top of it. He and his brother had to sneak in the middle of the night to dig up the dirt by the tree, looking out to make sure they wouldn’t get caught. It was the only place they felt comfortable burying their beloved corgi, gone much too soon.

He lets out a breath as a tear falls down his cheek, running into his mouth and filling his tongue with a salty taste.

“Fuck,” he chuckles wetly, wiping his face of the tear. He casts his eyes to the sky again, a silent curse running through his head towards the universe.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m sorry for not being here when you got sick. For not being here for the last 4 years. This wasn’t supposed to be why I came home, how I came home. I just --”

He sniffles and chuckles again before the tears fall. He closes his eyes trying to get them to stop, filling his senses with darkness and taking deep breaths to steady himself. He lays back on the wood of the dock, the panels uneven from aging, a nail digging into his back.

“Baekhyun?”

He knows that voice anywhere. Voice like honey. A voice that makes him relax on the spot. Even now he can feel his shoulders starting to release the tension he’s been holding. He’s afraid he’s imagining the voice when he hears it call out again but he hears footsteps creak the wood of the dock and then there’s warmth on his side, someone’s shoulder against his. He knows he’s being stared at but he doesn’t want to open his eyes, too afraid that he’s imagining this person. Or maybe just not wanting to face this person after so many years.

Baekhyun feels a hand slip into his and finally he lets his eyes let in the light, staring back at the sky that’s even more colorful than it was before. There are a few wispy clouds strung across the fading pigments and Baekhyun thinks this is the most beautiful sunrise he’s ever seen and he’s seen a few. He used to come here every Sunday morning with his friends to watch the sunrise, to see what beautiful painting the Earth would create for them that day. From the time they were little kids to fumbling their way through adulthood in their 20s, they’d without fail sit out on this dock.

He intertwines his fingers with the hand in his and he feels the other give a small squeeze. A familiar sensation but one that he doesn’t deserve. Baekhyun sighs.

“What are you doing here, Soo?” Baekhyun still won’t look at the other, his best friend. He can’t look at those expressive eyes right now, he’ll just cry more.

“I come here every Sunday morning.” Kyungsoo’s voice isn’t in his ear, he must be looking at the sky too. “Someone once told me when I was 6 that I’d get to see the Sun God be born if I woke up at a ridiculously early time and came to watch the sunrise. He also says he has the best ass in the world but that’s up for debate.”

“Hey, you know I have the best ass,” Baekhyun chuckles as he faces Kyungsoo resisting the urge to give the other a small slap on the shoulder. He can feel the tears well up along his lashline as he stares at the face looking towards the morning sky. Kyungsoo is as handsome as ever, if not more handsome now, something Baekhyun didn’t think possible. Four years doesn’t seem like it would be all that long, but he can see soft age lines starting to develop on Kyungsoo’s face. Little crow’s feet where he knows Kyungsoo’s skin bunches when he smiles and laugh, small lines by his brows from squinting when he forgets his glasses, just like now. They’re almost 30 now and Baekhyun supposes he has similar age lines starting to form as well.

Baekhyun opens his mouth to ask Kyungsoo a question, but his face is soon attacked by the tongue of a small dog. He brings his hands up to his face, small giggles leaving his mouth as he tries to push the pup away.

“Toben!” He hears a deep voice yell from behind.

“Toben?” Baekhyun holds the dog in his hands, arms length away from his face. Safe. He stares at the dog looking back at him. “You can’t be Toben. The Toben _I_ knew was the size of my hand.”

The dog tilts its head, little tongue just peeking through its mouth.

“That’s what happens when they age. They get bigger.” The deep voice returns and Baekhyun sits up, cradling Toben in his lap. He looks up at the imposing figure behind him, a big grin plastered on the tall man.

“Did you somehow get taller in the last 4 years?”

Chanyeol laughs and hits his knee like Baekhyun said something really funny, “Maybe you shrunk.”

Baekhyun smiles at Chanyeol and soon the dog licks his face again and he lets out another chuckle. Chanyeol picks up Toben from Baekhyun’s arms, talking to the dog in a baby-ish voice. Baekhyun knew that dog was going to be spoiled. He wipes his face of the dog slobber, looking back across the ocean.

“Welcome back, Baek. It's nice to see you again.”

He smiles at Chanyeol’s words. They sound sincere.

Kyungsoo clears his throat and stands up, Baekhyun turning his head to watch. He’s wearing a suit, he just notices now. His tie is a little sloppy but he looks so professional. Like an employer instead of an employee.

“Do you want to get some coffee?” Kyungsoo’s hand is extended right into Baekhyun’s space, gesturing to help him up. Baekhyun looks between two of his oldest friends, Chanyeol’s face with an optimistic grin. He reaches up and grabs Kyungsoo’s hand and nods, heaving himself onto his feet.

There’s a tangible awkwardness in the silence that follows them to the cafe. But thankfully it’s a short walk on familiar streets to the cafe. _Frostbite Coffee Company_ it reads.  

The shop that used to be here belonged to old man Gyeong-chul, a toy store for kids based in science and space, another escape for Baekhyun and his friends. Gyeong-chul would teach them all about the stars in the sky and the planets outside their solar system. Baekhyun’s mother would often find him flipping through pages and pages of books about constellations and stars in the back corner of the shop, eager to find out more and talking the ear off his mother and Gyeong-chul. _But why do some shine brighter than the others_ ? _Why are there four symbols for the constellations? Can I learn about the constellations of the westerners? Why does the sun rise? Do all stars rise?_

In his room as a child his mother painted the ceiling that of the night sky, glow in the dark star stickers clinging to the paint. Baekhyun would stay on his back, arms spread out as he looked up at his ceiling. _I want to be a star,_ he thought. _I want to be the sun._

The ding of the bell as they walk through the front door of the cafe shakes him out of his reverie.

They sit in a corner booth of the barely open place. Baekhyun learns that his old friend Minseok bought the shop after Gyeong-chul died of a heart attack two years ago and Baekhyun feels saddened at the loss but thankful for the guidance and influence from the elder. He’ll stop by the memorial for Gyeong-chul later this week.

Baekhyun finds it easy to fall back into his friendship with the two younger men. Chanyeol is as energetic as ever, Kyungsoo with the right timing of snark as ever. Chanyeol talks about how he’s teaching music classes to kids at a school but plays in a band still, sometimes playing gigs at bars. His face lights up as he talks about his students and the different instruments they learn. Kyungsoo talks about his job, something in the food industry. Apparently he oversees several farms in the area and they work to provide fresh food for the local schools. It’s amazing how fast things happen in 4 years.

Baekhyun doesn’t talk about his job much. He gets weird looks from Chanyeol and Kyungsoo, the quietness of Baekhyun causing some discomfort. Chanyeol mentions Baekhyun’s career briefly, saying he hopes to watch Baekhyun perform one day but he’s been so busy that flying overseas is a bit of a chore. He laughs saying Baekhyun needs to book a gig with the orchestra here instead so the locals can watch the hometown hero play piano in a nice tux _Right, Kyungsoo?_ Kyungsoo just kicks Chanyeol’s shin under the table. Baekhyun laughs but it’s strained. He’s never thought of playing a show here, but he supposes he could.

The awkwardness returns when Chanyeol gets up and leaves with Toben, citing that he’s got a second period class to teach today. He and Baekhyun exchange phone numbers, hoping to meet up or maybe Baekhyun can come by one of Chanyeol’s gigs. Chanyeol stops before he leaves, telling Baekhyun he’s sorry about the reason he’s home to begin with but he’s happy to see Baekhyun again.

It’s just him and Kyungsoo now and it shouldn’t be as uncomfortable as it is. When they were younger, Baekhyun would fill any and all silences with noise while Kyungsoo would give input when he could, but listening as enthusiastically as someone could. But now it’s silence. And Baekhyun wants to call this tension his little black rain cloud. It first started before he left for the States, packing up his stuff to move to the East Coast of the country. He remembers the last day he spent with Kyungsoo before he left. Kyungsoo kept asking him what was wrong but Baekhyun just shook it off. He didn’t say goodbye, just left for the airport and never looked back.

Kyungsoo breaks first, “How long are you in town?”

“I don’t know. I don’t have anything scheduled right now. My manager said I can take my time. He says I’ve been working too hard.”

“He might be right about that.”

There’s another silence and Baekhyun can’t stand it. He’s so good at filling these voids and instead he doesn’t even know how to talk to his best friend.

“You’ve been doing so well, I’m so proud of you.”

Baekhyun smiles bitterly, water threatening to breach from his eyes. He knows Kyungsoo is proud of him, believes every word of it because Kyungsoo was in the audience at one of his New York shows two years ago. He didn’t come to see Baekhyun after the show but he saw Kyungsoo in the audience, a single rose in his hand. By the time Baekhyun had taken his final bow, Kyungsoo had left and his manager had handed him the rose backstage. _From an admirer_ he told Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo’s phone rings and he curses under his breath.

“I have a meeting to go to with the board, I’m so sorry. Text me?”

Kyungsoo is already halfway through the cafe towards the door before Baekhyun can respond, just nodding numbly as he gathers himself together to head back to his mom’s place.

 

~* * *~

 

Four days into being home and Baekhyun doesn’t know what to do with himself.

He went to one of Chanyeol’s gigs at a bar in the main drag of town, all of his friends from college and high school in attendance. They had all hugged him til he couldn’t breathe, congratulating him on his most recent performance with the New York Philharmonic. He blushes and he finds himself actually thankful and humbled by the praise.

Some time in the last 4 years Sehun and Junmyeon had gotten together and Baekhyun isn’t sure how his mom left out that detail in their video chats. There’s a little gold band on Junmyeon’s ring finger, a little engraving that says _osh_. He smiles at Junmyeon when Junmyeon catches him staring, a faint blush across his face. Junmyeon’s happy and somehow making his hectic job work. It’s refreshing, Baekhyun realizes.

Baekhyun enjoyed his time at the bar, catching up with the rowdy group, all 8 of them. He’d just barely missed Yixing apparently, the elder heading back to China for a family event. He hopes he’ll still be here when Yixing comes back in a week. He bids farewell to the group, after everyone gives him their new numbers, bundling up as he heads out into the chilly evening, winter still trying to fight with spring for the season.

The morning after Baekhyun wakes up with a slight headache, bundled under the covers of his bed.

His mother had kept his room exactly the same. Even when Baekhyun moved in with Chanyeol and Jongdae during university she insisted on keeping it as such. It’s somewhat comforting when things don’t change and he can go back to things feeling normal. But things still feel off, like this isn’t the person he should be.

He’s sitting on his bed looking at the ceiling, the sticky glow in the dark stars barely keeping their hold. The biggest star, a giant B written on it to represent himself, is in the center of the room starting to fall off but somehow clinging with a little bit of sticky tape. He can see some of the blue paint peeling off from under it, an off white color he barely remembers from his childhood.

Baekhyun scrutinizes it for a few more seconds before sighing and folding into a fetal position towards the wall. He pulls out his phone and shoots a text to Kyungsoo asking him to come over. Before Baekhyun can change his mind, Kyungsoo messages back _be there in 10_.

When Kyungsoo comes over, they both settle on the bed side by side, fingers braided between their bodies. They’ve been talking about Baekhyun’s career again, about Baekhyun’s decision to leave. Baekhyun brings back the little black rain cloud when he apologizes to Kyungsoo for leaving him back in their hometown while he flew thousands of miles away to the U.S. Kyungsoo doesn’t let the little cloud last for long though, breaking the silences that Baekhyun can’t.

“You didn’t leave me behind, Baekhyun. Do you think I’m lesser because I stayed in our hometown?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Why do you feel so guilty over this? The universe doesn’t stop just because you moved across the globe. The stars don’t stop shining because you live in a city.”

“You are - _were_ \- my best friend and I didn’t even tell you I was going. You tried to call me and I didn’t even bother. Why aren’t you mad that I left?”

“I am mad at you but I know why you left. Everyone knows. And guess what? We’re proud of you. _I’m_ proud of you. Do I miss you? Every single fucking day. But you’re doing what you should be. You shouldn’t feel guilty just because I miss seeing your face and your stupid perfect ass everyday. And you’re still my best friend.”

Silence.

“So you admit my ass is perfect?”

Kyungsoo scoffs and rolls his eyes, looking up towards the ceiling again and Baekhyun feels his breath catch. He sits up a bit, his bodyweight on his hand to hold him up on the bed, observing Kyungsoo’s face.

“Soo?” Kyungsoo’s eyebrows tick in response, but he doesn’t turn his head to face Baekhyun, his eyes not moving from whichever star it is he’s staring at. Baekhyun lowers his voice, just barely a whisper, “Can you look at me?”

Kyungsoo closes his eyes and lets out a sigh like he’s bracing himself for something. He lifts his head up and rotates it a bit before resting it back down on the pillow under him, his expression unreadable as he looks at Baekhyun. Baekhyun looks between both eyes before they flick down to Kyungsoo’s lips, settling there briefly before looking back at Kyungsoo’s rounded eyes filled with an adoration Baekhyun has never noticed before. That’s the only sign Baekhyun needs before he’s leaning down to push his lips against Kyungsoo’s. They’re slightly chapped but still as soft as Baekhyun has ever imagined. He feels Kyungsoo’s fingers slide across the nape of his neck, pulling at the hair and bringing Baekhyun closer until Baekhyun is forced to throw his leg over Kyungsoo and straddle him.

Kyungsoo opens his mouth and Baekhyun feels teeth graze against one of his lips. They pull away, their breaths heavy on each other’s faces. Baekhyun grinds his hips down, a sweet friction against his groin and his arousal grows when Kyungsoo lets out a breathy moan. Baekhyun moves his hands under Kyungsoo’s shirt, skirting his fingers across the soft skin before gripping at Kyungsoo’s sides. Kyungsoo pulls him back down into a kiss and rocks his hips up and Baekhyun releases a muffled moan into the other’s mouth.

Baekhyun has wanted this for so long with Kyungsoo but never pushed for it, always focusing on something else instead. He lifts Kyungsoo’s shirt off his torso, exposing the tan skin. He stares at Kyungsoo in awe. Kyungsoo blushes under the gaze before he takes the reins and sits up, pushing Baekhyun onto his back.

They take their time exploring each other, learning about each other’s bodies and what makes the other tick. They’ve talked about relationships and sex with each other but Kyungsoo didn’t know that if you move your hand a specific way across Baekhyun’s nipples, that he’ll gasp for air and let out an oh so delicious sound. Baekhyun learns that Kyungsoo likes to lead, likes to manipulate Baekhyun into positions that Baekhyun has never tried before.

There’s so little space between their bodies, skin touching skin in every possible way they can, never feeling enough of it. They’ve left marks on each other, little bites along their necks and shoulders. Baekhyun can tell Kyungsoo is close, his hips starting to falter in their movements as he thrusts into Baekhyun.

Taking advantage of Kyungsoo’s state, Baekhyun flips them so he can ride Kyungsoo, taking the other apart as he grinds down and Kyungsoo gives out little whines, digging his fingers into Baekhyun’s hips as he pushes up. A push and pull that describes their personalities and relationship over the years so well. Kyungsoo giving just the amount Baekhyun needs, Baekhyun pushing Kyungsoo to his limits until he think he might break.

There’s a moment of bliss that Baekhyun reaches that has him seeing stars. He laughs and he feels Kyungsoo laugh underneath him, pulling the other on top of him and wrapping his arms around Baekhyun’s waist. There’s a mess on their chests and stomachs from their escapades but Baekhyun can’t find himself to care. He nuzzles into Kyungsoo’s neck and kisses one of the little bite marks, soothing the redness.

Their breathing starts to slow, Baekhyun feeling sedated as Kyungsoo’s fingers weave through the strands of Baekhyun’s hair. He pulls at a tangle then smooths the hair down.

“Why didn’t you come backstage when you came to my show?”

Kyungsoo doesn’t seem put off by the question, his fingers still raking through Baekhyun’s hair and wiping sweat from his skin where he can reach.

“I didn’t think you wanted to see me.”

Baekhyun looks up at that, Kyungsoo’s hand resting on his cheek. He leans into it. “I always want to see you. I’m sorry for being an idiot.”

Kyungsoo sits up, situating Baekhyun into his lap. His thumb trails across Baekhyun’s cheek lovingly.

“Why do you keep apologizing?”

“Because I left and I didn’t even tell you and I didn’t even talk to you and --”

“Do you want me to be mad at you? Of course I’m mad at you, I already told you that. You got up, left and broke my heart without even realizing you broke it. Jongin and Sehun had to pick up the pieces.” Baekhyun flinches. “But when Jongdae told me where you went, what you were doing, I couldn’t help but be proud. You’ve always wanted to be a center of attention, Baek. You’re a beautiful pianist and you deserve success, with or without me.”

Kyungsoo’s cheeks are wet and Baekhyun feels his start to get wet too. A pair, they make.

“I don’t want success if it’s without you.”

 

~* * *~

 

Kyungsoo leaves for an emergency at work, borrowing some of Baekhyun’s clothes and giving a sloppy kiss before he runs out the door. There’s a strange silence now without Kyungsoo in the room. It’s not that little black raincloud now, instead it’s a charged silence. One that feels ready to snap at any moment. The stars seem like they’re mocking him, especially that big one.  

Baekhyun glares at it like it did him wrong and finally he pushes himself up and grabs the chair from his desk, standing on it and extending himself to reach for it, ripping it from the ceiling. It takes some paint with it, and he flings it to the ground. He feels a rush.

He steps off the chair and looks at the ceiling, the other smaller stars still holding tight.

“What did you do?”

He whips his head around to see his mom standing in the doorway, looking at the off white patch of paint on the ceiling. She looks amused. He smiles at her and then looks back at the chunk.

He shrugs.

“I’ll fix it. Make it better.”

His mother walks over to him and hugs him and he feels himself push into her warmth. She messes with his hair briefly.

“It was already perfect, Baek.”

He just shakes his head, “But it’s time for it move on, don’t you think? Stars change.”

His mother and him share a look and she pinches his cheek. She brings him downstairs for dinner and he enjoys a family meal for the first time since he’s been home. He and his brother scramble off after cleaning the dishes to go to the park and leave fresh flowers at the tree. They sit in silence as they pick at the grass, throwing some of the blades at each other and laughing like they’re kids again.

“I think I’m going to walk out to the docks,” Baekhyun says when they’re walking out of the park.  

They part ways and Baekhyun meanders along the sidewalks towards the sea, waving through the window of Frostbite Coffee to Minseok as he passes it. He starts to whistle a tune, his fingers playing an imaginary piano in front of him. An old woman gives him a strange look and Baekhyun just waves and smiles awkwardly. He starts to dance a little bit as he walks across the street to his destination.

He hears soft footsteps on the wood behind him as he sits on the dock, his eyes tracing the shape of the waves of the water. The person sits beside him and Baekhyun takes in the warmth.

“I thought you only liked to watch the sunrise?” Baekhyun doesn’t respond, instead continuing to kick his legs out from the edge of the dock, his fingers still playing a tune in the air. He shrugs.

“There are more things in heaven and Earth, Kyungsoo, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  Baekhyun smiles dumbly at his... friend? _Lover_? His Kyungsoo, he settles on.

Kyungsoo just lets out a huff with a small eye roll, muttering something about bastardizing the quote. He scoots closer to Baekhyun until their thighs are touching, Kyungsoo resting his hand on Baekhyun’s knee and giving a comforting squeeze. He looks out across the ocean.

“I’m having my manager ship all my stuff back here.”

Kyungsoo’s hand freezes momentarily before slipping towards Baekhyun’s hand and grasping it within his.

“Yeah?”

Baekhyun watches as the nighttime sky folds out across the horizon, stars starting to appear as the sun disappears, falling beneath the silhouettes of the buildings behind Baekhyun and Kyungsoo. For someone who loves stars so much, Baekhyun has never really taken the time to appreciate the night sky in all its glory, the twinkling of all the stars together. Sitting here watching the sunset, Baekhyun feels it’s time to move forward in life in a different way, to shine with others at his side instead of being the center of everyone’s attention.

He hears a dog bark in the distance and he looks toward the sound. A corgi puppy running around, a leash pulling through the sand with no owner attached. An old man runs after the puppy, yelling _Apollo._ Baekhyun chuckles.

“Yeah,” he nods, looking over to Kyungsoo, “I think it’s time to come home.”

**Author's Note:**

> I feel it's a habit for me at this point to not know how my stories come about. I started writing this and it somehow found its way here. Thanks for taking the time to read it. 
> 
> As always, to my Soo and my Key, I love you both dearly. Thanks for the words of encouragement.


End file.
